McKinney-Vento Services Children & Youth In Transition Title I & Homeless Education May 24, 2011

Goals for this training In this interactive webinar, NCHEP staff and Allison Whitaker, a Title I Consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, will focus on coordination between the McKinney- Vento Act and the Title I program. This webinar will cover: – a basic understanding of the McKinney-Vento Act – the Title I-A set aside for homeless students, including ways to determine an appropriate amount – appropriate uses of the homeless set aside and – strategies to increase coordination between these programs

About NC Homeless Education Program (NCHEP) NCHEP is dedicated to ensuring that all children and youth experiencing homelessness have access to the public education to which they are entitled under the federal McKinney-Vento Act. NCHEP works towards this goal by – Ensuring that North Carolina's state policies are in compliance with federal law – Providing technical assistance to North Carolina's local homeless education liaisons – Providing informational and awareness materials to educators and other interested community members throughout North Carolina.

How is the McKinney-Vento Act Implemented? State Coordinator for Homeless Education in every state Local homeless education liaison in every school district Title I serves at-risk students; has specific provisions for homeless students IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) has specific provisions for homeless students with special needs Collaboration among community agencies and resources

NC Homeless Education Statistics NCHEP Data with the Dept. of Public Instruction identified 21,300 Pre K – 12 th grade homeless children and youth during the school year Compared to: 18,815 K-12 in ,947 K-12 in Note: The Urban Institute estimates that approximately 10% of all children experiencing poverty will experience homelessness in the course of a year.

Who is eligible for McKinney- Vento services? o Children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence— Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations Living in emergency or transitional shelters Abandoned in hospitals

Who is eligible, cont’d Awaiting foster care placement Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, etc. Migratory children living in above circumstances Unaccompanied youth who are experiencing the above circumstances

The McKinney-Vento Definition of Homelessness Individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.  Fixed residence: is one that is stationary, permanent and not subject to change.  Regular residence: is one that is used on a regular basis (i.e. nightly)  Adequate residence: is one that is sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments.

Rights of Homeless Children and Youth Immediate enrollment, even when lacking records Attend either the school of origin, if feasible, or the local school Receive transportation to the school of origin Equal access to programs and services Automatically eligible for the free and reduced lunch program

Rights of Homeless Children and Youth, cont’d Unaccompanied Youth do not need a parent/guardian to enroll or have access to services Unaccompanied Youth have the same right to appeal as parents/guardians Local liaison must support the student in making decisions and understanding his/her rights

Eligibility for Title I All children and youth experiencing homelessness are eligible for Title I services in Title I schools, non- Title I schools, and in settings, such as shelters and hotels, where they may reside. [ESEA, Section 1113(c)(3)(A)]

How does Title I Help Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness? Title I-A is a primary resource for homeless students in both districts with and without McKinney-Vento subgrants Funds set aside for homeless students can provide services as needed above and beyond those for other Title I students in Title I and non-Title I schools In school districts with McKinney-Vento subgrants, Title I enables the homeless education program to provide a broader range of services Title I has many academic support programs in place in which homeless students may participate

The Law All school districts are required to set aside funds specifically to serve the needs of homeless children and youth. [Title 1-A, Section 1113(c)(3)(A)] Title I-A programs are required to coordinate with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act at the State and local levels [ESEA, Section 1112 (a) (1)] LEA consolidated applications must describe how services for homeless children will be coordinated and integrated with the Title I-A program “in order to increase program effectiveness, eliminate duplication, and reduce fragmentation of the instructional program” [ESEA, Section 1112(b)(E)(ii)] SEAs must approve these applications and have them on file.

The Law, cont Services to be provided through the Title I-A set aside for homeless students in non-Title I schools should be described in the LEA plan [ESEA, Section 1112(b)(O)] State Coordinators for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth coordinate with SEA offices, including Title I, to gather information on the educational needs of homeless students and monitor their academic progress [McKinney-Vento Act, Section 722 (f)(1)] LEAs and schools must provide comparable services to homeless students [McKinney-Vento Act, Sections 722 (e) (3) (C) (iv) (II), 722 (g) (4) (B), and 723 (d) (2)].

Ways to determine set aside amounts Base amounts on an annual needs assessment for homeless students Multiply the number of homeless students by a Title I-A per pupil allocation For districts with McKinney-Vento subgrants, reserve an amount equal to or greater than the MV funding request Reserve a percentage based on the district’s poverty level or Title I-A allocation

Uses of Title I-A set asides for homeless students 1.To provide comparable services to homeless students enrolled in non-Title I schools Comparable services often entail programming and services above and beyond that of other Title I students to ensure full access and participation in educational opportunities 2.To provide educationally-related support services to children in shelters and other locations where homeless children may live [ESEA, Section 1113 (c)(3)(A)]

Additional Services Title I-A funds may be used for non-educational services that may impede a student’s learning when there are no other funds available. Services include, but are not limited to: -purchase of eyeglasses -health related needs -nutritional needs May not use funds for rent, utilities, or clothing for parents

Use of Title I-A Set Asides Items of clothing (gym clothes or uniforms) Student fees School supplies Immunizations Food Medical and dental services Counseling Outreach to shelters Extended learning time Tutoring Parent involvement AP and IB testing costs Fees for SAT/ACT testing GED testing Graduation gowns [September 2, 2009 Guidance]

Use of Title I-A set asides for funding a position May Title I pay for the position of the local homeless education liaison? Because the McKinney-Vento Act specifically authorizes that another Federally funded coordinator may perform the duties of the local liaison, an individual paid, in whole or in part, with Title I-A funds may also serve as a homeless liaison. [September 2, 2009 Guidance]

Transportation and Title I-A set asides May not pay for transportation to and from the school of origin for a homeless student May use funds to transport homeless students to educationally related activities May use funds to transport a formerly homeless child to and from the school of origin for the remainder of the school year May use funds to transport homeless children to preschool programs

Guiding Questions for Expenditures Is the expense already identified as a program component or need in the consolidated plan? Is it an educationally-related support service? Are there other district or community funding sources already set up to provide what is needed? What is the cost in proportion to the overall program budget or per pupil expenditure? Is the expense critical to maintaining the student’s enrollment, attendance, or success in school?

Strategies for Collaboration and Coordination Cross training for Title I Directors and Homeless Liaisons. Frequent meetings between Title I Director and Homeless Liaison to determine how Title I will serve children and youth experiencing homelessness. Title I coordinators and local MV liaisons meet to discuss homeless data and annual needs assessment; co-develop plans for Title I funds for consolidated application, schoolwide schools, etc. Share Title I-A, and McKinney-Vento education handbooks, when available, and other resources with program staff serving Title I and homeless students.

More Strategies cont’d Collect and share within and across school divisions concrete data on the needs of children and youth in homeless situations. Ensure that the needs of homeless and highly mobile students are included in the school improvement plans. Establish and widely disseminate information on LEA policies, procedures, and guidelines to identify and serve eligible students. Articulate clearly how the local liaison will be able to access Title I-A set aside funds. Include homeless parents in Title I parental involvement policies and create opportunities for homeless parents to be involved.

Contact Us Lisa Phillips State Coordinator for Homeless Education Phone: (336) Fax: (336) Teresa Lewis Program Specialist Phone: (336) Karen Madrone Assistant Program Specialist Phone: (336) Link to Title 1 Consultants: North Carolina Homeless Education Program: